All odds are correct at time of first publishing, but may subsequently change.
There’s top-quality action in the Championship on Friday as third-placed Swansea welcome leaders Norwich to south Wales. The Canaries have been in cruise control all season following relegation from the Premier League winning 16 of their 27 matches, and have opened up a four point gap at the top of the table.
While that sounds good they are starting to look in their rear mirror with just three wins from their last seven, where they have netted just six goals. They’ve failed to score in their last three games in all competitions with two draws in the league, but boss Daniel Farke will be happy with the defence, who have conceded just one goal in five league games.
Having missed out on opportunities to extend their lead at the top the pressure is mounting. Swansea under Steve Cooper have been the surprise package in the Championship this season. They are on a seven-match unbeaten run and lie just five points behind Friday’s opponents with a game in hand.
8.15pm: Swansea v Norwich – Sky Sports Football
The Swans have scored 13 goals in their last five games in all competitions but come up against the best defence in the league here. Previous meetings between these the two sides could not be any tighter with 23 wins for Swansea, 24 for Norwich and 10 draws. Norwich won the reverse fixture back in November with an 84th-minute goal.
Despite the hosts’ struggles in front of goal, they have suffered just one defeat in 12 Championship matches and their excellent defence always gives them a chance, and five of the last six games between the sides going back to the Premier League in 2015 have finished with just a single goal being scored.
However, I expect Teemu Pukki to get back on the scoresheet and Norwich to come out on top. The bet is Norwich To Win.
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Fiorentina will be eyeing their third consecutive home victory when they welcome Inter Milan to the Artemio Franchi Stadium. Antonio Conte’s Inter come into the game on the back of an eventful couple of weeks with a feisty victory against AC Milan in the Coppa Italia before losing 2-1 in the first leg of their Semi Final to Juventus on Tuesday in the same competition.
They are flying high in Serie A though, and are just two points behind fierce rivals AC in second place. They continued their push for the Scudetto with a 4-0 home win against Benevento last time out. Fiorentina are undefeated in their last six home games but haven’t faced any of the big guns, and come into the game on the back of a bruising encounter away to Torino last weekend.
7.45pm: Fiorentina v Inter Milan – Premier Sports
The game ended 1-1 despite Fiorentina finishing with nine men and as a result will be without dismissed duo Nikola Milenkovic and Gaetano Castrovilli tonight. The sides have played twice in recent months with Inter coming out on top in both encounters – 4-3 in Serie A and 2-1 back in January in the Coppa Italia.
This is a huge game for Antonio Conte’s side and their push for the title. I expect plenty of goals with the loss of Milenkovic and Castrovilli huge for the home side. The Bet is Inter Milan To Win.
PP News Daily Double
Friday, February 5
Norwich to beat Swansea
Inter Milan to beat Fiorentina
All odds are correct at time of first publishing, but may subsequently change.
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